Is Your Property Attractive to Rats?

No one wants to encounter any problems with rats, but we all know they are around us. We may never (or rarely) see them, but that doesn’t mean our properties aren’t at risk of being targeted by them.

Rats are opportune creatures, as are a lot of pests. Even if they cannot get into your home, they will hang around outside if they can find a food source there. This is problematic for farms, but it can also be a real issue if you live in a house and you don’t take good care of your surroundings.

For instance, never leave any food scraps or rubbish bags lying around. Rats can and will easily rip into them and eat whatever they can get to. And if they know they can get food from somewhere, chances are they will keep coming back. Before you know it, they could be camped out somewhere nearby, multiplying and causing even more problems.

Always put your rubbish in a dustbin and make sure the lid is secured. Some bins have metal locks on either side to hold the lid in place. If yours doesn’t, consider weighing it down with a couple of bricks. If your council area takes food scraps separately from the rest of your rubbish, make sure you put those in the lockable food bin you should have been provided with. Keep the outdoor areas clean and clear as much as you can, to prevent rats from seeing them as good places to be.

You should also take care to check the exterior of your property to make sure there are no areas or holes where they can gain access. It’s good to get advice from a pest control expert, as they will be able to recommend preventative steps to take. Of course, if you already have an issue with one or more rats, you can solve it quickly and effectively with their help.

Regardless of whether you live in a house or you own a farm, getting to grips with the local rat population is something to be aware of. It is always better to prevent them from liking the look of your property than to cope with them once they arrive. They may never be that far away, but if you practise good housekeeping throughout the year, they’ll be less likely to bother you… and more likely to go elsewhere instead.